Emergence of multiple sensory-motor response patterns from cooperating bursting neurons

In this paper, characteristics of a sensory-motor system driven by coupled bursting neurons are examined. We constructed a sensory-motor system by connecting networks of coupled bursting neurons. Mutually connected networks showed several kinds of oscillation rhythms. When networks oscillate at 5-10 Hz, a robot pushed an object in an environment, and when networks oscillate at 20-50 Hz, a robot avoided an object. Spontaneous transition between these rhythms was observed, and was clarified to be an emergent property based on cooperative phenomena of bursting neurons. These studies may provide a basis for utilization of coupled bursting neurons and its primitive applications.